The Dawoodi Bohras are a sect within the
Ismā'īlīIsmā'īlī branch of Shia
Islam.[1][2] Dawoodi mainly reside in the western cities of
IndiaIndia and
also in Pakistan,
YemenYemen and East Africa.[3] The main language of the
community is "Lisan al-Dawat", a dialect of Gujarati with inclusions
from Arabic, Urdu and other languages. The Script used is
Perso-Arabic.
When in communal attire, a Dawoodi male has a form of tunic called
kurta, equally lengthy overcoat dress called saya, and an izaar
typically donned underneath, all of which are mostly white, along with
a white and golden cap called topi. Most men have a beard. A Bohra
woman wears a two piece dress called a rida.

Name and etymology
The word Bohra comes from the Gujarati word vehru ("trade"), in
reference to their traditional profession.[4] The term Dawoodi comes
from the support given to
Dawood Bin QutubshahDawood Bin Qutubshah during a schism that
the community faced in 1592 when there was a leadership dispute.
Evolution of
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra from other
ShiaShia sects
The
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra sect is a
ShiaShia sect also referred to as the Tayyabī
Musta'lī
Ismā'īlīIsmā'īlī sect. The
Isma'ilisIsma'ilis were split from the now
mainstream Ithna Ashari Shias over the succession issue of Imam Jafar
Al-Sadiq. The
Isma'ilisIsma'ilis took Isma'il bin Jafar as their Imam whereas
the Twelvers (Ithna Ashari Shia) took
Musa KazimMusa Kazim bin Jafar Al-Sadiq as
their Imam. The Ismailis split into Druze and mainstream
Isma'ilisIsma'ilis due
to a succession issue and further down the line they again split into
NizariNizari and Musta'ali branches. Bohra evaluated in
IndiaIndia had link to
FatimidFatimid through Yemeni Queen Arwa from the time of Imam Mustansir era.
The Musta'ali branch to which
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra trace their legacy
continues until the 21st Imam Al-Tayyab, who went into occultation
(hiding). His direct descendant is considered as the current Imam and
remains in seclusion. While the Imam is in seclusion, the governance
of the sect has been entrusted to the
Da'i al-MutlaqDa'i al-Mutlaq (Vicegerent
/Unrestricted Missionary). Splinter groups of the Bohras have
subsequently emerged over the succession dispute of the preceding
Da'i.
Spiritual leader
The spiritual leader of the
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra community is called Da'i
al-Mutlaq (Arabic: داعي المطلق‎), who serves as the
representative of the purported hidden Imam, who according to Dawoodi
Bohra's belief lives on in seclusion. The role of Da'i was created by
Queen Arwa bint Ahmed (also known as Al-Hurra Al-Malika) of Yemen. It
should not be confused with other offices that exist in the Imamate
such as Da'i-ad-Du'at and Da'i al-Balagh.
Zoeb bin MoosaZoeb bin Moosa was the first
Da'i-al-Mutlaq.[5][6] The Current Da'i-al-Mutlaq is Dr Mufaddal
Saifuddin as he was appointed as the 53rd Dai-al-Mutlaq by his father,
Dr
MuhammadMuhammad Burhanudin on a worldwide shown live-relay[7]
History
Main articles:
ShiaShia and Ismailism
As Shi'a Muslims, Bohras believe that their Imāms are descendants of
the Islamic prophet
MuhammadMuhammad by way of his daughter
FatimahFatimah and her
husband Ali. They believe that
MuhammadMuhammad chose
AliAli as his successor and
publicly declared this while he was returning from his first and last
Haj in 632 CE. Dawoodi Bohras, in keeping with all Shi'a believe that
after Muhammad,
AliAli had been the rightful wali, Imam and caliph, but
the actual Caliphate was usurped by
ẒāhirīẒāhirī ("literalist") caliphs.
AliAli was the final
RashidunRashidun Caliph from 656-661 CE; the Imamate and
caliphate were united in this period.
After Ali, his son Hasan ibn Ali, the first Ismāʿīlī Imam, was
challenged for the Caliphate, ultimately resulting in a truce with the
Umayyad CaliphateUmayyad Caliphate to recognise the claimant in power, Muawiyah I, as
Caliph and avoid bloodshed, while Hasan retained the Imamate. After
Hasan, Husain and his family and companions were killed at the Battle
of
KarbalaKarbala and Husain's body was buried near the site of his death.
Dawoodi Bohras believe that Husain's head was buried first, in the
courtyard of Yazid (the Umayyad Mosque), then transferred from
Damascus to Ashkelon,[8] and then to Cairo.[9]
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra and the
FatimidFatimid dynasty

The first through the fifth Ismāʿīlī Imams - until Ja'far al-Sadiq
- are commonly accepted by all the Shi'a, although numbered
differently. Bohras and
NizariNizari Ismāʿīlīs treat
AliAli as Vasi
(successor to Mohammad) and Imam Hasan as first Imam whereas Twelvers
number
AliAli as the first. The followers of Ja'far's son, Isma'il ibn
Jafar, became Ismailis, to whom the Bohras belong. Twelvers believe
that
Musa al-KadhimMusa al-Kadhim was heir to Ja'far instead; their Imams diverged
at that point.
During the period of Ja'far, the
Abbasid CaliphateAbbasid Caliphate replaced the
Umayyads and began to aggressively oppose belief in an Imamate. Due to
strong suppression by the Abbasids, the seventh Ismāʿīlī Imam,
MuhammadMuhammad ibn Ismail, went into a period of Occultation. During this
period his representative, the Dāʿī, maintained the community.
The names of the eighth, ninth, and tenth Imams are considered by some
traditions to be "hidden", known only by their nicknames due to
threats from the Abbasids. However, the Dawoodi Bohra, claim to have
the true names of all the known Imams in sequence, including the
"hidden" Imams, namely: the eighth Ahmad al-Wafi (Abadullah), the
ninth
MuhammadMuhammad at-Taqi (Ahmed ibn Abadullah), and the tenth, Rabi
Abdullah (Husain ibn Ahmed).[10]
The 11th Imam, Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah, founded the
FatimidFatimid Caliphate
in 909 CE in
IfriqiyaIfriqiya (present Tunisia), ending the occultation. In
Ismāʿīlī eyes this act again united the Imamate and the Caliphate
in one person. The Fatimids then extended up to the central Maghreb
(now Morocco, Algeria, Libya). They entered and conquered
EgyptEgypt in 969
CE during the reign of the fourteenth Imam, al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah,
and made
CairoCairo their capital. After the eighteenth Imam, al-Mustansir
Billah, the
NizariNizari sect believed that his son Nizar was his successor,
while another Ismāʿīlī branch known as the
MustaaliMustaali (from whom the
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra would eventually form), supported his other son,
al-Musta'li. The
FatimidFatimid dynasty continued with al-Musta'li as both
Imam and Caliph, and that joint position held until the 20th Imam,
al-Amir bi-Ahkami l-Lah (1132 CE).
Tayyibi-
HafiziHafizi schism
Main articles: Mustaali, Taiyabi, and Hafizi
At the death of Imam Amir, one branch of the
MustaaliMustaali faith claimed
that he had transferred the imamate to his son at-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim,
who was then two years old. Another faction claimed Amir died without
producing an heir, and supported Amir's cousin al-Hafiz as both the
rightful Caliph and Imam. The al-Hafiz faction became the Hafizi
Ismailis, who later converted during the rule of Sultan Ṣalāḥ
ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūbi. The supporters of Tayyeb became the
TayyibiTayyibi Ismāʿīlī.
Tayyeb's claim to the imamate was endorsed by the Hurrah al-Malika
("the Noble Queen") Arwa al-Sulayhi, the Queen of Yemen. Arwa was
designated a hujjah, the highest rank in the Yemeni Dawat, by
al-Mustansir in 1084 CE. Under Queen Arwa, the Dai al-Balagh
(intermediary between the Imam in
CairoCairo and local headquarters) Lamak
ibn Malik and then Yahya ibn Lamak worked for the cause of the
Fatimids.

Zarih of Arwa al-Sulayhi, Yemen

Tayyibis (which include the modern Dawoodi Bohra) believe the second
and current period of satr began after Imam Tayyeb went into
seclusion, and Queen Arwa created the office of the
Dai al-MutlaqDai al-Mutlaq to
administer the community in the Imam's absence.
Zoeb bin MoosaZoeb bin Moosa (d.546
AH/1151 CE) was the first Dai-ul-Mutlaq, and lived and died in
Haus, Yemen. His ma'dhūn was Syedna Khattab bin Hasan. The 3rd Dai
Sayedna HatimSayedna Hatim (d. 1191 CE) was prominent among the Du'at of Yemen
and wrote many books, both exoteric and esoteric in philosophy on the
Ismaili sect.
Transfer of
Dawat to India
Moulai Abdullah was the first Walī al-Hind in the era of Imam
Mustansir (427–487 AH). Moulai Abdullah and Moulai Nuruddin
were originally from
GujaratGujarat and went to Cairo, Egypt, to learn. They
came to
IndiaIndia in 467 AH as missionaries of the Imam. Moulai Ahmed
was also their companion.
Dā'ī Zoeb appointed Maulai Yaqoob (after the death of Maulai
Abdullah), who was the second Walī al-Hind of the
FatimidFatimid dawat.
Moulai Yaqoob was the first person of Indian origin to receive this
honour under the Dā'ī. He was the son of Moulai Bharmal, minister of
Hindu Solanki King Siddhraja Jaya Singha (Anhalwara, Patan). With
Minister Moulai Tarmal, they had honoured the
FatimidFatimid dawat along with
their fellow citizens on the call of Moulai Abdullah. Moulai
Fakhruddin, son of Moulai Tarmal, was sent to western Rajasthan,
India, and syedi Nuruddin went to the Deccan (death: Jumadi al-Ula 11
at Don Gaum, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India).
One Dā'ī after another continued until the 23rd Dā'ī in Yemen
whilst in
IndiaIndia the Waliship continued in the descendants of Moulai
Yaqoob; Moulai Ishaq, Moulai Ali, Moulai Hasan Fir. Moulai Hasan Fir
was the fifth Wali in the era of the 16th Dai Syedna Abdullah
(d.809 AH/1406 CE) of Yemen. The Awliya al-Hind were
champions of the
FatimidFatimid dawat in India, and were instrumental in
maintaining & propagating it on instructions of the Dā'ī at
Yemen, and it is because of them that the
FatimidFatimid dawat was able to
survive the persecutions of
CairoCairo and Yemen.
The wali Moulai Jafer, Moulai Abdul Wahab, Moulai Qasim Khan bin Hasan
(d.950AH, Ahmedabad) and last Jalal Shamshuddin bin Hasan
(1567 CE) (12th wali-ul Hind and also became 25th Dai) were of
great help in the era of the 21st to 24th Dai. It was during this time
when the
Dawat was transferred to
IndiaIndia from Yemen, that the 23rd
Dai-al-Mutlaq, Mohammed Ezzuddin, performed nass (transfer of
authority) on
Yusuf Najmuddin ibn SulaimanYusuf Najmuddin ibn Sulaiman of Sidhpur, Gujrat, India.
The 24th Dai,
Yusuf NajmuddinYusuf Najmuddin bin Sulayman (d.1567 CE), shifted
the whole administration of the
Dawat (mission) to India, in part due
to their persecution by the Zaydi Imams. However, Yusuf Najmuddin
continued to live in
YemenYemen and died there. The last Wali-ul-Hind and
25th Dai
Jalal Shamshuddin bin HasanJalal Shamshuddin bin Hasan (d.1567 CE) was the first
Dai to die in India; his mausoleum is in Ahmedabad, India. Dai Jalal's
tenure as Dai was very short, only a few months, however, before his
nass, he was Wali-ul Hind (after Moulai Qasim) for about 20 years
under the 24th Dai Syedna Yusuf while the Dai was in Yemen.
Intra-Bohra schisms

The divisions Bohras.

Following the death of the 26th Dai in 1591 CE, Suleman bin Hasan, the
grandson of the 24th Dai, was wali in
YemenYemen and claimed the
succession, supported by a few Bohras from
YemenYemen and India. However,
most Bohras denied his claim of nass, declaring that the supporting
document evidence was forged. The two factions separated, with the
followers of Suleman Bin Hasan becoming the Sulaymanis, and the
followers of Syedna
Dawood Bin QutubshahDawood Bin Qutubshah becoming the Dawoodi Bohra.
Again in the period of the 29th Dai Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin, a small
group of
Aliya BohraAliya Bohra separated under
AliAli bin Ibrahim (1034
AH/1634 CE), the grandson of the 28th Da'i Syedna Sheikh Adam
Safiyuddin. A further branch broke from the Dawoodi in 1754, with the
Hebtiahs BohraHebtiahs Bohra splicing in a dispute following the death of the 39th
Dai.
A group of reformists, the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra, was formed by
Asghar
AliAli Engineer. While they accept the religious authority and
status of the Dai, these reformers call for social reforms within the
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra community. Specifically, they object to the strict
social control policies, as well as the amount of tithing requested by
the clergy.[11] Its members have been excommunicated by the mainstream
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra clergy.[3]
Move to India
The 34th Dai Syedna
Ismail Badruddin IIsmail Badruddin I (son of Moulai Raj,
1657 CE onward) was the first Da'i of Indian Gujrati origin. He
shifted the
Dawat from
AhmedabadAhmedabad to Jamnagar.[12] During this period
the Da'is also moved to Mandvi and later to Burhanpur. In the era of
the 42nd Da'i Syedna
Yusuf NajmuddinYusuf Najmuddin (1787 CE onward) the Dawat
office shifted to Surat. The educational institute Al-Dars-al-Saifee
(later renamed Al Jamea tus Saifiyah) was built in that era by the
43rd Dai Syedna Moulana Abdeali Saifuddin, who was an extremely
renowned scholar in the literary field. During the period of the 51st
Da'i Syedna
Taher SaifuddinTaher Saifuddin (1915-1965 CE), the Dawoodi Bohra
Dawat administration has been located to Mumbai and continues there to
the present day. The 51st and 52nd Da'is both had their residence at
Saifee Mahal in Mumbai's Malabar Hill as does the current Dai Dr.
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.
Imams and Dais

Main article: List of Ismaili Imams
Main article: List of Dai of Dawoodi Bohra
Dawoodi Bohras believe that the 21st
MustaaliMustaali Imam, Taiyab abi
al-Qasim, is a direct descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
through his daughter Fatimah. According to this belief, Ṭayyib Abī
l-Qāṣim went into occultation and established the office of the
Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq as the Imām's vicegerent, with full authority to
govern the believing community in all matters spiritual and temporal,
as well as those of his assistants, the Ma'dhūn (Arabic:
مأذون‎) and Mukāsir (Arabic: مكاسر‎). During the
Imām's seclusion, a Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq is appointed by his
predecessor. The maʾzūn and mukasir are in turn appointed by the
Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq. A fundamental belief held by the
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra is
that the presence of the secluded Imām is guaranteed by the presence
of the Dāʿī al-Muṭlaq.

Dawoodi Bohras believe
WalayahWalayah to be the most important of the seven
pillars of Islam. It is the love and devotion for God, through their
Da'i, Imam, Wasi (Wali)
AliAli and Nabi Muhammad. There is an incident
famous amongst Bohra which confirm how they mean and weigh
‘walayat’ principle. There was an order from the 19th Da'i Syedna
Idris in
YemenYemen to the 6th Wali-ul-Hind, Moulai Adam, to perform prayer
behind a water-carrier called Sakka. Moulai Adam along with his
associates were willing to perform prayer under Sakka, although this
order was later revoked. As a result, the Da'wat was shifted to
India.[13]
Their interpretations of the pillars Sawm, Hajj, and
JihadJihad are akin to
those in other forms of Islam, but the Dawoodi forms of salat and
zakat differ from other groups:
SalatSalat (prayer) as per tradition to be performed five time intervals
specified as Fazr, Zohr, Ashr, Magrib and Ishah. Zohr and Ashr are
overlapping period, as are Magrib and Ishah. Hence they are combined
together and Bohra perform these five
SalatSalat in three intervals. Fazr
in morning, Zohr & Ashr in the afternoon, and Maghrib and Ishah in
the evening, making the prayers more convenient to perform.
ZakatZakat is done during the month of Ramzaan (Ramadan). This is organized
and collected by central authority Dawat–e-Hadiyah from every member
of the community. The family of a Bohra who refuses to pay
ZakatZakat is
refused all religious services.[14]:200[3]

As is the case with the majority of Shi'a Muslims, the Bohra append
Aliyun waliallah to their profession of faith (kalema‐tut‐
sahadat). The
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra utilise the versions of the azaan (call to
prayer) and shahada common to other Mustaali, which incorporate
mention of Ali.
Qardhan Hasana
Islam prohibits
RibaRiba (Usury) and interest; Dawoodi Bohras follow the
principle of Qardhan hasana (interest-free loans). Numerous Qardhan
Hasana fund schemes have been established, many working at the local
jamaat level and others working at a national level in various
countries. The funds are generated from contributions of individual
members but the bulk amount comes from the Da'i-al-Mutlaq. (In 2014,
Mufaddal SaifuddinMufaddal Saifuddin donated more than Rs. 103.50 crore (Rs. 1.035
billion).[15]
Office and administration
The office of the Da'i al-Mutlaq, known as Dawat–e-Hadiyah, is
central to secular and religious affairs among Dawoodi Bohras. The
present office is in Badri Mahal, Mumbai, which is represented by
Jamaat Committees in all the cities with significant numbers of
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra members. The Aamil is the president of the Jamaat
committee in his respective city. He is appointed by the
Dawat–e-Hadiyah, with the permission of the Dai al Mutlaq.
There are several sub committees and trusts under the Jamaat
committee, looking after different aspects of Dawoodi Bohra
administration.
Demographics and culture

The worldwide number of Dawoodi Bohras is estimated at just over one
million.[16] The majority of adherents reside in
GujaratGujarat state in
IndiaIndia and the city of Karachi, Pakistan. There are also significant
diaspora populations in Europe, North America, the Far East and East
Africa.[3]
Dawoodi Bohras have a blend of ethnic cultures, including: Yemeni,
Egyptians, Africans, Pakistanis and Indians. In addition to the local
languages, the Dawoodi Bohras have their own language called Lisan
al-Dawat.[17] which is written in
Perso-ArabicPerso-Arabic script and is derived
from Arabic, Persian, Urdu and Gujarati.
The centralized, hierarchical organization of the Dawoodi Bohras is
maintained largely using persuasion and (the threat of)
excommunication of those who do not conform to the rules laid down by
the Syedna and other members of the clergy.[14] Excommunication
dissolves marriage and bars burial in Dawoodi burial sites.[18]
The
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra maintain a distinct form of attire; the Dawoodi
Bohra men wear a white three piece outfit, plus a white and gold cap
Kufi (called a topi), and women wear the rida, a distinctive form of
the commonly known burqa which is distinguished from other forms of
the veil due to it sporting bright colors and decorated with patterns
and lace. The ridah can have any color except black, preventing
confusion of Bohra women with Sunni women and thus enabling easy
identification of fellow members of the community, which in turn is
important for maintaining strict social control.[3] The rida
additionally differs from the burqa in that the rida does not call for
covering of women's faces like the traditional veil.[19] It has a flap
called the pardi that is usually folded to one side to facilitate
visibility, but can also be worn over the face if so desired. (says
journalist Jonah Blank). The
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra retain the Fatimid-era
Tabular Islamic calendar,[20] which they believe matches perfectly
with the lunar cycle, not requiring any correction. In this calendar,
the lunar year has 354 days. Their odd-numbered months have 29 days
and the even-numbered months have 30 days, except in a leap year when
the 12th and final month has 30 days. This is in contrast with other
Muslim communities, which base the beginnings of specific Islamic
months on sightings of the moon, with the naked eye, by religious
authorities, which often result in differing opinions as to the
occurrence of religiously significant dates, such as the start of
Ramadan.
Community centres (Masjid)

Dawoodi Bohras have their own jamaats (local communities) which will
be focused around a
MasjidMasjid or a markaz (community centre) where an
"Amil" (leader appointed by the Syedna (TUS) leads namaaz and gives
discourses).
Dawoodi Bohras have a unique system of communal eating with groups of
8 or 9 people seated around a thaal (particularly large metal tray).
Each course of the meal is served for the people around the thaal to
share. The place where meals are served is called the Jamaat Khaana.
The Jamaat Khaana is usually adjoined to the masjid complex.
In 2012, the community leadership under Mohammed Burhanuddin
instituted community kitchens in Mumbai that deliver Bohra families
two meals per day; the goal of this system is to free women from the
task of preparing food, providing them with time to pursue education
or economic activities.[21][22]
Education and educational institutes
During the 20th century, the Syednas established colleges, schools and
madrasas in villages, towns and cities all around the world.[vague]
The focus on literacy and education has meant that the community has a
high percentage of degree holders and professionals both male and
female with a high number of doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers,
teachers and IT professionals in the community in addition to the
large number[quantify] of businessmen and industrialists.[citation
needed]
Al Jamea tus SaifiyahAl Jamea tus Saifiyah is the
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra theological university,
which was founded in Surat, India[23] in 1814 AD(1224AH)by the 43rd
Dai
Moulana Abdeali Saifuddin who named it ‘Dars-e-Saifee".[citation
needed] A second campus was founded in 1983 located in the northern
foothills of Karachi, Pakistan. A third campus was established in
Nairobi, Kenya in 2011, and in 2013 a fourth campus was established in
Marol (Mumbai), Maharashtra.
The 51st Dai Syedna
Taher SaifuddinTaher Saifuddin introduced modern subjects
including sciences and arts to the curriculum in 1961 and renamed the
academy Al Jamea tus Saifiyah. This process of modernization continued
with his son and successor Syedna
Mohammad BurhanuddinMohammad Burhanuddin who introduced
'state-of-the-art' facilities such as the
Mahad al-Zahra Quran
training Institute. He also made it an International Baccalaureate
Office.[23] The academies are administered by a central office located
in Badri Mahal, Fort, Mumbai. The 51st Da'i Syedna
Taher SaifuddinTaher Saifuddin was
a prolific scholar who wrote more than 40 volumes or 'Risalas' and has
penned more than 10,000 verses in tribute to the
ShiaShia saints.[citation
needed] Many of his works are part of the syllabus in the different
fields of Arabic study in Al Jamea tus Saifiyah.[citation needed]
The
Aligarh Muslim UniversityAligarh Muslim University conferred a Doctorate of Theology on the
51st Da'i, Taher Saifuddin,[24] and offered him its
Chancellorship.[25] He remained as Chancellor for three consecutive
terms until his death in 1965.[26] In October 1999, the 52nd Dai
Syedna
Mohammad BurhanuddinMohammad Burhanuddin was also elected Chancellor of the Aligarh
Muslim University.[27]
Mufaddal SaifuddinMufaddal Saifuddin was elected chancellor in
2015.
Syedna
Mohammad BurhanuddinMohammad Burhanuddin established MSB Educational Institute in
Nairobi and Mumbai, in 1984. Currently, there are 25 branches of the
school worldwide.
Mausoleums
Thousands of
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra visit every year Mausoleums of Ahl al-Bayt
especially Medina, Karbala, Shaam and Cairo.

Raudat Tahera,
MausoleumMausoleum 51st and 52nd Dai(covered with temporary
canopy to protect it from dust of nearby ongoing construction project)

The Dai al Mutlaq and Wali of Past have been laid to rest in Rauzas,
where thousands of community members visit every year, in
YemenYemen and
India.
Raudat TaheraRaudat Tahera (Arabic: روضة طاهرة‎ Rawḍatu
Ṭāḥiratu), is the
RauzaRauza of 51st Dai Syedna Taher Saifuddin.[28]
52nd Dai Syedna
Mohammed BurhanuddinMohammed Burhanuddin was buried by his son, Mufaddal
Saifuddin in the same mausoleum.[29]
Social Status/Criticism
The 52nd Dai Al Mutlaq, Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, served the
dawat for 50 years. His main policy was one of Islamization,
countering the modernizing tendencies of his
predecessor[14].:184–185 Under his rule, a system of strict social
control was developed using modern means of communication. A
succession dispute emerged after Burhanuddin's death as his son
(Mufaddal Saifuddin) and his half-brother (Khuzaima Qutbuddin) both
claimed he had named them his successor.[30] The majority of the
community sided with Saifuddin. Dr. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, now
widely recognized as the community's 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq, has continued
his predecessor's social control programs. [3]
Women Status
Status of women in community has a major change in last tens of years
and they are amongst best educated women in Indian subcontinent.[31]
Female Genital Mutilation
There are reports that 'Khafd' or 'Khatna' practice, a form of female
genital mutilation is prevailing in Bohras, and this practice has been
widely criticized.[32][33] All types of female genital mutilation,
including clitoridectomy (which Dawoodi Bohras refer to as khafd or
khatna), are universally recognized as a violation of the rights of
girls and women.[34][35]There is support also for the practice from a
group having two Doctors.[36] There is no reference to the practice in
the Qur'an[37][38][39], but many Muslim scholars classify this as
practice (‘Sunnah’) established by the prophet Muhammad,thus is
religiously virtuous and referred as a ritual state of purity in
Arabic.[40] According to a 2015-2016 survey, 81% of Dawoodi Bohra
women do not want this practice to continue for future
generations.[41] However, it has not been denounced by the Syedna.[42]
In fact, in a 2016 sermon, he seemed to call for the practice to be
carried out discreetly in countries where it is illegal.[43][44]
Compatibility with modern ideology
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra have tried to make their religious beliefs compatible
with modern ideology, combining old practices of prayer, dress, with
secular education, relative gender equality, and Internet use.[45][46]
Muharram and Ashura
Main article: Mourning of Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. The first ten
days of this month are marked by Bohras to commemorate the martyrdom
of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad.[47]
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra begin mourning from the second eve of Muharram and
continue with discourses during the day and majlises each night which
climax with the day of 'Aashura' on the 10th of Muharram. This is the
day on which Husain and his family and 72 of his companions and family
were killed by the army of
Yazid IYazid I at the
Battle of KarbalaBattle of Karbala on his
orders. The surviving members of Husain's family and those of his
followers were taken captive, marched to Damascus, and imprisoned
there.
Thousands of Dawoodi Bohras flock from around the world to hear the
discourses offered by the
Da'i al-MutlaqDa'i al-Mutlaq usually in a different place
each year. In October 2016 the Ashara commemorations by Mufaddal
Saifuddin[48] took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The event takes place in every Bohra community worldwide along the
same lines in terms of time and duration. Selected discourses by the
Syedna are broadcast live from wherever he happens to be that year. It
is Syedna's express instruction that Bohras set aside this time of the
year to focus solely on the commemoration by taking the requisite time
off from their work, businesses and institutes of education well
beforehand.
Dawoodi Bohras and the world
The first
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra masjid (mosque) in the West was built in
Farmington Hills, MichiganFarmington Hills, Michigan in 1988. Immediately thereafter, the first
Canadian masjid was inaugurated by Dr. Syedna
Mohammed BurhanuddinMohammed Burhanuddin in
Toronto.
Mohammed BurhanuddinMohammed Burhanuddin inaugurated the
HoustonHouston masjid in 1996,
which was reconstructed into a larger masjid that is four times the
size of the original. This new masjid was inaugurated in Oct, 2015 by
Mufaddal Saifuddin.
In June 2001 Masjid-ul-Badri in Chicago was inaugurated. In July 2004
new mosques in
New JerseyNew Jersey (Masjiduz-Zainy), Washington DC and Boston
were inaugurated.[49]
The following year, August 2005, the Dā‘ī l-Mutlaq inaugurated
another new masjid in Fremont, California (metropolitan San Francisco)
and was congratulated by various officials and dignitaries from local,
state and federal US governments. President George W. Bush also sent a
letter from the White House.[50] On 8 July 2007, Mohammad Burhanuddin
inaugurated a new masjid in Paris, France.[51]
V K Singh lauds
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra community's role in 'Operation Rahat' in
Yemen.[52]
In 2017, Jumala Nargarwala, a female Michigan doctor who is reportedly
a Dawoodi Bohra, was the first person charged under the United States'
law forbidding female genital mutilation.[33] Bohra is the religious
community largely based in India.
Cluster development Project
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra plans to redevelop Mumbai’s congested Bhendi Bazaar
area with about 20000 population, as per the government’s cluster
development policy. Project visualized in 2009, aimed at
‘transforming’ the lives of people in 3,200 residences, 75 per
cent of which were claimed to be declared dangerous for habitation.
The project estimated to cost Rs. 4,000-crore and involves pulling
down about 250 buildings and 1,250 shops, and building 17 towers
across nine sub-clusters, a very tedious and difficult job. As the
Bhendi Bazaar will go vertical, all the residents will get a minimum
of 350 square feet carpet area with lots of open spaces for parks,
parking and other amenities. It is referred as a 'biggest urban
makeover', which will change 'the contours' of Mumbai and set an
example that redevelopment is feasible of such a vast nature and
capacity.[53][54][55][56]
Occasions and commemoration

9. Ramazaan ul-Mo'azzam - رمضان المعظم
5
14th Fatemi Imam Maulaana Ma'ad al-Mo’iz entered the city of Cairo
and offered prayers in his Palace. The city of
CairoCairo got its name from
him as al-Qaaherah al- Mo’izziyah

7
By the order of Imam al-Mo’iz, Jaame’-e-Azhar was inaugurated by
Maulaana al-Qaa’id Jawhar in
CairoCairo that became the Capital of Fatemi
Sultanate. Usage of Misri Calendar was officiated in the entire
Hukumat.
AzaanAzaan was said publicly with the recitation of “Mohammadun
wa 'Aliyun Khayr ul-Bashar wa ‘Itratohoma Khayr ul-‘Itar”.
Fatemi law and jurisprudence was practiced.

8
This was the memorable day in the history of Fatemi Imamat. Under the
guidance of Imam al-Mo’iz, his commander Maulaana al-Qaa’id
al-Jawhar as-Saqali conquered Egypt. The foundation of
CairoCairo was laid
along with Jaame’-e-Azhar and Palaces.

The night of the last Jumo'ah of Shahrullaah is the Night of Aakhri
Jumo'ah: Washsheq of Wadaa'-e-Ramazaan - وداع شھر اللہ
& Waseelah[63] of Ambiyaa and the day of Jumo'ah is Aakhri Yaum
ul-Jumo'ah: Waseelah of Ambiyaa

10. Shawwaal ul-Mukarram - شوال المکرم
1
'Eid ul-Fitr - عید الفطر also known as Ramazaan 'Idd (The
Celebration after the 30 days of Ramazaan Fasting)

29
First night of the first month Muharram ul-Haraam of the New Year. The
most important tradition to arrange Maa'edto Aal-e-Mohammad -
مائدۃ آل محمد - Thaal[66] (big plate) of different items
and dishes is kept and all the members of the family sit together on
the floor and take the grace - برکات and pray for the blessings,
progress, health and peace in the New Year

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^ "SBUT".
^ The year of the Attack of the army with While Elephants on Makkah
which was led by Yemeni Commander Abrahah who came to destroy Ka'bah
^ It is the supreme authoritative position during
FatimidFatimid Caliphate
where he enjoyed the status of Chief Missionary and Chief Justice
under the direct commands of an Imam
^ A unit of prayer-namaaz which consists of standing, one time bowing
and two times prostrating
^ a b It is Naafelat (Voluntary) prayer offered after Maghrib and
'Ishaa il-Aakherat Namaaz. It has multiple Rak'aat and one who prays
it is supposed to have prayed for the whole night. Technically, during
such meritorious nights, a faithful must pray for the whole night, but
this designated Naafelat prayer amounts to the Reward of the prayer of
Whole Night.
^ The Taiyebi spiritual mission led by the 1st Da'i Saiyedna Zo'eb in
YemenYemen under the hidden guidance of Imam us Satr, the Imam under
Occultation 21st Imam at-Taiyeb and his progeny.
^ After farz and sunnat namaaz, this type of prayer is offered
voluntarily and it is up to the believer how many rak'at he intends to
offer
^ a b Intercession and Intermediary person from Da'wah Shareefah with
special status who is granted permission and has spiritual powers to
pardon mistakes of Believers and invites reward for good deeds from
Allaah Ta'aala
^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined
(see the help page).
^ Baab is the Shi'a-Isma'ili term used for the immediate person who is
of high spiritual status after
MuhammadMuhammad or the Imam from his progeny.
Baab ul Abwaab means the Door of the Doors, that leads to the Zenith
of Spiritual Hierarchy i.e. Imam. Maulaa '
AliAli is the Baab of Mohammad
^ Maa'edah is a term used specially in Alavi & Dawoodi Bohras
customary social events when followers get together and sit around a
big platter in a group of 7 on the floor and eat from a single plate.
Each item they eat or drink together with strict discipline and in the
last the food left in the plate is equally distributed among a group

Further reading

The Dawoodi Bohras: an anthropological perspective, by Shibani Roy.
Published by B.R. Publishing, 1984.
Bin Hasan, Idris, Uyun al-akhbar (Bin Hasan was the 19th Da'i of the
Dawoodi Bohra. This volume is a history of the Ismaili community from
its origins up to the 12th century CE., the period of the Fatimid
caliphs al-Mustansir (d. 487/1094), the time of Musta‘lian rulers
including al-Musta‘li (d. 495/1101) and al-Amir (d. 524/1130), and
then the
TayyibiTayyibi Ismaili community in Yemen.)
A Short History of the Ismailis, By Farhad Daftary
The Ismaili, their history & Doctrine, By Farhad Daftary
Medieval Islamic Civilisation, By Joseph W. Meri, Jere l.Bacharach
Sayyida Hurra: The Isma‘ili Sulayhid Queen of Yemen, By Dr Farhad
Daftary
Cosmology and authority in medieval Ismailism, By Simonetta Calderini
Religion, learning, and science in the ʻAbbasid period, By M. J. L.
Young, John Derek Latham, Robert Bertram Serjeant